Hatchet-wielding suspect in mother's murder gunned down by officers at Mobile motel (video)

View full size(Frame grab from WTSP report)A member of the Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriff's Department's forensics team shines a light into the trailer home where 51-year-old Debbie Neace was found dead Sunday, July 25, 2010, from trauma to her upper body. Neace's son, 24-year-old Cory or Corey Hicks, was shot dead in Mobile, Alabama, on Monday, July 26, 2010, by police officers trying to take him into custody for questioning in connection to his mother's murder.

MOBILE, Ala. -- A hatchet-wielding suspect was shot dead by police this morning as authorities tried to take a man into custody at the Days Inn motel at 180 W. I-65 Service Road.

When officers arrived to try to take Corey Hicks into custody, he came out of a motel room bathroom swinging a hatchet, striking a deputy in the arm, officials said at a news conference this morning.

After a police officer was struck in the arm by the hatchet, the arresting officers opened fire, striking Hicks multiple times and killing him, officials said. One of the bullets fired by police hit the officer who'd been struck by Hicks, authorities said.

The wounded officer, who was not identified, was treated at Springhill Medical Center. He was later released.

Authorities were at the motel acting on a "be on the lookout" notice issued by officials out of Pinellas County, Florida.

View full size(Pinellas County, Florida Sheriff's Office)Corey Hicks: Photo released by the Pinellas County, Florida, Sheriff's Office shows Corey Hicks, who was wanted for questioning in the murder of his mother, Debbie Neace, who was found murdered in her trailer home in Pinellas Park, Florida, on Sunday.

Investigators said 51-year-old Debbie Neace died from trauma to her upper body and that she was found dead by Neace's boyfriend of 28 years, Bruce Hicks.

Hicks had moved out 2 weeks ago and went to her home after not hearing from her for several days, WTSP reported.

Pinellas County deputies told WTSP that Bruce Hicks moved out because he'd been fighting with the couple's 24-year-old son, Corey.

Even though Corey and his mother's car are missing, deputies stopped short of calling him a suspect.

Pinellas County sheriff's officials said a warrant for Hicks' arrest on a charge of grand theft auto was issued Sunday night and that Corey Hicks was tracked to the Days Inn in Mobile, Alabama.

"Mobile police assisted Pinellas sheriff's detectives by surveilling the vehicle and made plans to arrest him this morning on the outstanding warrant," Pinellas County deputies said in a news release.

The Mobile Police Department Internal Affairs and Homicide Units will be conducting an investigation of the incident, and further details will be released after the conclusion of the investigation, a city police spokesman said.

(Updated at 11:54 a.m. to regularize spelling of Corey Hicks to match suspect identification provided by the Pinellas County, Florida Sheriff's Office.)